


Rally up the Demons of your Soul

by DiveIn_HeadFirst_CantLose



Series: The Opposite of Amnesia [1]
Category: All Elite Wrestling, 新日本プロレス | New Japan Pro-Wrestling
Genre: Aj is an asshole of a leader, Angst, Assassin/Crime Scene Clean-up/ Mercenary Cleaner, Bullet Club takeover, Exes to Lovers, Fluff, I toe the line between kayfabe and real life, Its all in the name of business, I’m enjoying writing this, I’m working with my limited NJPW knowledge so bear with me!, Kenny gets hired to kill Kota, Kenny is a literal murderer and doesn’t feel guilt, Kenny is an Asshole to everyone but Kota, Kenny is pretty far gone at this point, Kenny loves Adrenaline, Kenny loves Kota more than he loves himself, Kota is a detective, Kota still loves him, M/M, Mafia/Yakuza AU, Matt and Nick are NOT twins, Matt is one brave little shit, Nakazawa is a good friend, Nick is baby in this, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, The Cleaner - Freeform, Wrestling Stable: Bullet Club, and eventually Matt and nick, and hes tried, but he’s gotta warm up to them, but only a teeny bit for the story’s sake, does this count as dark fic?, he can’t stop, i aged them down to their ages during AJ’s rule and then a couple more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:54:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29068353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiveIn_HeadFirst_CantLose/pseuds/DiveIn_HeadFirst_CantLose
Summary: The Cleaner handles the more gory affairs of whoever pays him enough. He does his client’s dirty work, and he leaves no business unfinished.None except one.The ghost of the golden star is back, and he’s pretty sure he’s absolutely fucked.
Relationships: Ibushi Kota/Kenny Omega
Series: The Opposite of Amnesia [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2143305
Comments: 47
Kudos: 30





	1. Some Legends are told, They turn to Dust and to Gold

**Author's Note:**

> I’m working really hard on this, so I hope you enjoy it! I’m working with little knowledge (of both canon and crime syndicates) but I just had to write this AU! I’m so surprised I’ve never found one.

To the Cleaner, the back alleys of Tokyo are like black lace. 

Hidden below an innocent surface, the a complex network of interlaced, entwined threads. Kenny doesn't think you can truly appreciate Tokyo's beauty without seeing what's underneath that innocent facade. After all, he has been both on the side of the law and against it.

His footsteps are almost silent, even in his heavy boots. He walks confidently, like he owns the place, even though he's so clearly a foreigner. There's a delicate poise to his movements, as if they were rehearsed. He's clad in a black leather jacket and matching gloves, with a pair of aviators blocking his eyes from view.

He leans back against the wall, one leg bent up, so the sole of his foot rests against the exposed brick. He's idly chewing on a toothpick. It is a habit of his, and it settles his nerves when he's in a pinch, but it's mostly just for show.

He stops when he knows he's at the meeting spot, and waits for the brothers to arrive. He knows that AJ will send the Matt and Nick, he never sends his men solo, not to face someone like the Cleaner. 

There's no streetlamps to cast their sickly light. There's only the shadows of doubt, as he lingers in the corridor.

He's only ever dealt with AJ directly, on an in-person basis for covert operations affecting the structure of the club itself, or perhaps theyre things he just needs handled. They’re mostly odd jobs. Relaying messages, some intimidation. Hiding some evidence, if it had been a good day at the office. None of it is honest, but it is certainly a thrill. As the name implies, he cleans up the messes his clients make. One such example is the legendary Mutiny of Devitt, about a year back. He still considers that his best kill to date, and yet he gave AJ the glory. Though he does indulge from time to time, he does it for the thrill of the chase and the brutality of the fight, not the glory or cash. He craves the rushing adrenaline, the feeling of power it gives.

For love of the art, so to speak. 

He's curious to see the Jackson's first impressions of him. He's not Japanese. He's Canadian, born and raised, so many expect him to be some kind of wannabe. He uses that to his advantage. He doesn't look like what most expect, he looks almost gentle. A man that could just be on vacation in Japan.

The two brothers walk down the alley to meet him. Perfectly punctual, the least he should expect from two close associates of such a decorated leader. Honour was a very important part of Bullet Club's doctrine, and a good image was important to maintain, lest you affect the group's reputation.

He smiled, meeting them halfway. There's a silence, as they stand opposite each other.  
If he didn't know otherwise, he would say that Matt and Nick were twins. They look so similar, even though there is actually a four year gap between the two brothers. Same eye shape, same nose, same face structure. And they styled their hair similarly, but Nick is blue eyed and brunette, where as Matt is dark haired with brown eyes. 

He had called in an old favour from an informant on the inside. The Cleaner is no fool, he never goes in unarmed or unaware of exactly who he's dealing with. He always makes sure he covers all the bases. 

"You're not what we expected." Said the one with the sideburns. Matt, he recalls. The elder of the pair.

"That's what they all say." He said in a playful, singsong voice. "But I've never heard it from a fellow gaijin before. It's intriguing." He removes the toothpick from his mouth. 

Kenny speaks with his hands. It's something he's always done, and it just drew the eye of everyone around him. Even with his slightly odd speech patterns, it was almost impossible not to listen, like a siren's song.

"You've still no proof you're who you say you are." Matt says, cutting straight t the chase. 

"Trust me." Kenny says, as if he's bored. He tosses the toothpick in a nearby trash can with a slight flourish. "You don't want any."

It's not quite a threat, but it's the promise of one soon to come. Matt doesn't hesitate to call his bluff. 

"I insist." Matt pushed. It's bold, Kenny will give him that. It's smart, too, with the faction's best interests at heart. He has to hide a smile, since it's so clear to him that he hasn't learned that in this world, it's every man for himself. 

"And I don't care. I outrank you. Unless the request comes from Styles himself, your threats don't bother me. I know I can handle someone like you." He glances at Nick, addressing him directly. "Your brother, how old is he?"

"28."

"That puts you around 25. Am I correct?" 

A curt nod is the only response he receives. 

"I had a feeling. You're clearly young for this line of work" Kenny remarks, before smirking back at Matt. "I wonder what that says about you? If I had a brother, I'd keep him away from all this." 

Matt goes to step forward, but Nick stops him, hushing him. Clever boy. There's something like both fear and reverence in Nick's eyes, and he loves it. He feels as if he could get high off it. 

"Smart kid." Kenny praises. 

"Thank you." Nick says, calmly and respectfully. He doesn't meet Kenny's eyes, there's just something about the praise. Of course, Kenny notices his aversion to such treatment, but he doesn't mention it or mock him.

"You're handling this a lot better than your brother." It's the truth, but Kenny is just so good at being condescending, making everyone around him feel small and powerless. He's captivating and charismatic, he knows how to bend people to his will. "Now, What happens to you if you defy AJ?"

"Nobody knows. They never find the bodies." Nick mumbled, parroting the stories he'd been told. 

"Very good." Kenny praised, as if dealing with a small child. He can see Nick relax, as if he had been afraid the Cleaner would think of him badly. He saves this knowledge, filing it away in his mind for later. He thinks it might come in rather handy.

Matt scoffed, unimpressed by his demeanour. Nick had been easy to get under his thumb. He was new to all of this, he hadn't the courage yet to talk back. Eventually he'll forget what fear feels like. That's what this life does to you, it whips you into shape, keeps you on your toes. 

"You're a bastard." Matt glared, and Nick was desperately trying to get him to disengage. Tugging on his shirtsleeves, talking in hushed whispers, pulling his wrist back.

Kenny knows he'll have a harder time with Matt. The man has a strong will, stronger than most. He almost respects it.

Almost.

"And you're AJ's bitch." Kenny retorted, as breezy as ever. Playful. 

"And you aren't?" Matt questioned, and Nick tugged on his arm. He could feel that Nick wasn't used to this, he was terrified.

Good. He should be scared of him. Kenny has earned his fear. Bullet club doesn't often turn against each other, and Nick doesn't know how it feels to be at a disadvantage. It's so pathetic it's almost cute.

"I work for myself." Kenny says flatly.

"And yet, you come at his beck and call." Matt snaps in reply, starting to walk. Kenny saunters alongside them, hands in his pockets, casual as you please.

"It's always good to have one of the most powerful men in Japan in your debt. Unlike you, I have no need for things as arbitrary as loyalty, or family." He says. It's clinical both in tone and the nature of the words.

The Cleaner always collects his debt. Everyone who listens to the whispers of Tokyo's streets knows that. The Cleaner is an infamous presence to those who know anything at all about the underbelly of Japan. 

He's heard people discuss him right to his face. They tell him his own legends, openly ponders the validity of those tales. He's had many ask him what he think of this mysterious shadow. He often laughs, asks to hear more. It's endless entertainment to know that the stories aren't even the half of it.

Kenny opens the door to the abandoned building, knowing that's where they were headed.

"You know where we are?" Nick said, surprised.

Kenny laughed gently. Mockingly. "You've a lot to learn. I wouldn't have attended the meet-up without knowing precisely who I was dealing with. I know everything about the both of you, and I know I could kill you both if I wanted to. I have informants."

He walks in and AJ nods at them, confirming what they already knew.

"It's been a pleasure, boys."

He indulges in some formalities with the other members, introducing himself by his real name. He's lucky that it sounds like an obvious alias. He gets more contacts, he shakes some hands and he agrees to some favours.

He declines the offer of a beer from AJ. He doesn't drink, abstains from all drugs. After all, he knows exactly what those vices can do to people. Scumbags like that were his primary clientele when he started out, before Bullet Club offered him a spot. He only pitched in occasionally, forging his own path, for the most part.

He’s not an honest man, and he makes no claim to be one, but he wouldn’t define himself as sleazy. After all, he’s a professional, and professionals have standards. And it’s not like he’s anyone’s bitch either. He plays by his own rules, and he doesn’t leave any of his business unfinished.

He’s his own boss, and he makes that very clear. Though, he does enjoy partaking in the camaraderie shared by members of Bullet Club. Sometimes he misses such blind faith and companionship.

"Let's get down to business." He leant forward, resting his knees on his elbows.


	2. We Keep This Love In A Photograph

"What's so urgent that you called for my assistance?" Kenny asked with genuine curiosity. 

He's not an official member of bullet club, and he's never wanted to be one either. Most new recruits went through a brutal hazing ritual, which often kills at least a few of them. It's too cult-like for his tastes.

His relationship with the group is simple. When he is around, he stops by. Normally, a favour is requested of him, and he completes it. He sometimes requests one in return, sometimes he keeps them in his debt. Sometimes he makes a phone call and his enemies are dealt with, paying off their debt to him.

It's simple. It's business.

His allegiance lies with nobody but himself. He does whatever will save his skin, or give him a bigger thrill, no matter how nefarious a normal person would believe his actions to be. He feels no shame in being selfish. Caring about people had only brought him agony and betrayal. 

Due to his status as a mercenary, he not normally called in, especially not all the way from Osaka. That's why he'd been so suspicious, expecting an attack. He had spent the full ride on the bullet train on the phone with his informant, taking notes. Extra precautions than the ones he already had in place. All in code, of course. He knows there's cameras everywhere.

"I need a favour." AJ says. Kenny isn't intimidated by his over exaggerated bravado, and AJ knows that, but he plays along. It's a smart move to stay on the good side of a man as powerful as Styles. 

They always play games like this, it's just in their nature. Call him what you will, a thrill-seeker, a nihilist, an adrenaline junkie; he's damn good at what he does.

"Whatever you say." Kenny hums, almost sarcastically. He's curious as to what this particularly important assignment could entail.

"I need you to get someone out of my way." AJ says and Kenny scoffs, folding his arms

"There's other contract killers for that. Why would you send for the Cleaner when you have some in your own ranks? You know better than to waste my time."

"There's none with your... skills."

"I'm flattered."

"You're the last of a dying breed, Cleaner. Someone who does what they do for the love of the craft, for the spirit of the game, rather than the cash. And who better to take out a meddling cop, than an ex-cop himself... you appreciate the art of what we do, right? I think it's poetic."

Something about that sends a jab of fear into Kenny's stomach, but he ignores it. He remembers a meddling cop from his past. He just hopes that he's not the one they're after. He keeps his expression neutral. 

"Ex-Forensics specialist. I'm not a trigger-happy vigilante that's sanctioned by the law. I have a Degree." He corrected. "They're very different things. I was a professional."

It's not exactly true. He was a forensics specialist, and he did have a degree, but he had been a beat cop for a year before making detective. It doesn't make him any less sensitive about the difference. 

"It's all the same to me. Either way, they put my guys behind bars." AJ sounds like he couldn't care less, and Kenny knows for a fact that he couldn't. He lets the man continue.

"I know this guy is smart, he's the best in the force. He knows how we think. I heard chatter that he's got some unfinished business with our lot."

The fear grows, the story is too familiar. He reminds himself its a common tale. It's not going to be him.

"I've tried other methods, as he's too important to just disappear, but that's out of the window now. He knows we're after him, and he's going to work it to the end."

"Bullet Club, outwitted by a single cop. I'd expect no less." He chuckled mirthlessly. AJ didn't even acknowledge the flippant comment, and that's when Kenny realised the severity of the situation.

"I need you to make him suffer. He busted some of my best guys, and he's gunning for my head." 

"Enough deliberation. Show me the target." Kenny beckons with a finger, and Gallows slides a polaroid across the table, face down. It's a cliche, but Kenny is rather fond of it. He picks it up.

Of course Kenny recognises it, he was there when it was taken. The image is a couple years old, but he's certain of who it is. He knows the target. 

It's Kota Ibushi.

He feels like he's seen a ghost, a ghost from is past, and his stomach turns. His expression never changes though, he stays calm. He can't afford to show any weakness.

It's just business, he reminds himself. He's killed old friends before, this shouldn't be any different. But it is, it's so different. The thought of Kota dead makes him nauseous, let alone at his hand. He doesn't even want to think about his usual methods. He can't let the facade break, and he knows he'll crack if he does.

Kota isn't an just old friend. He's someone who he knows. He knows his smile, his dreams, the feel of his lips. Just two years ago, the heartless man known as the Cleaner had been in love. He knows Kota's heart, even if those years were long passed now. He can't bear the thought of causing him harm. 

If it was just another cop from the academy, or anyone in his old squad, he'd get it over with and get his money. He would feel bad, for a few seconds. Maybe a minute. He knows that Bullet Club spares no one, not once the death warrant had been signed by the boss. 

He's at the crossroads of destiny. He doesn't know who the enemy is anymore. For the first time, he has to make a blind choice.

Now that his name has been brought up, Kota's image lingers in his mind. It won't leave him. Memories of gasping kisses and hands in his curls flicker through his mind, detonating like flashbangs. Soft hair, brown eyes, a golden smile.

He thinks that if he kept playing house, kept pretending that he thought like everyone else, he would have spent his life with Kota. He can't breathe, it's so tense. 

Kenny has his back against the wall, so he does the first thing he always does in a situation like this. He lies through his teeth. He's a good liar. It's a skill he picked up extremely quickly, and it's saved his life before.

"He's got a family. No can do."

He knows Kota has a girlfriend now. He doesn't think that they're married, but maybe he proposed. He sure as hell doesn't have any kids.

"Hasn't stopped you before." AJ retorted. "You've killed innocent people. Women, children."

"I don't kill kids. But the rule is negotiable if the kid's a dick."

"What, is the ruthless contract killer having a change of heart? Have you got a guilty conscience?" He almost mocked, and Kenny set his jaw.

"This isn't a negotiation, Styles. You aren't going to convince me to take this assignment. I don't deal with cops anymore."

"Or do you know him?" AJ smirked.

There's a silence. Fuck.

Kenny has kept tabs on him. He typically uses his favours to keep him safe. Kota has had a couple people go after him, and he's put hits out on people who intended to cause him harm. He hates to admit it, but he never stopped loving Kota.

"My choices and my reasoning are none of your goddamn business." He insisted, and AJ ignored his words.

"Oh, this is good." AJ laughs.

He knows that this time a hitman isn't going to be enough.

He needs a whole goddamn coup.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so fun to write! I knew exactly how I wanted to introduce Kota into the story, and I hope I did a good job!


	3. I’m in the business of Misery

"Of course I know him. I know every cop in this damn city. Kota Ibushi. 30 years old, born and raised in Kagoshima. Joined the force 6 years ago, widely regarded as the best of the best."

He takes the photograph, something he doesn't normally do. Usually he only needs a glance at. He slips it into the inside pocket of the leather jacket, so the photograph is resting over his heart.

Where it belongs.

He mulls over his options as he gets out of the lair. Not before he slips Matt a note with a location and time though. It's surreptitious enough that AJ doesn't see it, and that's good enough for him. Nick gives him a quiet nod of his way out.

He has a few calls to make. He knows AJ isn't as stupid as he seems. You don't end up as the leader of Bullet Club without a back up plan. There's probably a price on Kota's head already, and he needs to work fast. It's 2 in the afternoon, and he has about 3 hours until they catch up to him, but he can bump that up to about 5 if this goes smoothly.

He knows a guy on his old squad, one of the few proper friends he'd found. He doesn't owe him any favours, so all he can give at the moment is an IOU. He hopes that will be enough. 

"Nak? This is th-“ he swallows. He doesn’t want to turn himself in. “it's Kenny."

"Kenny? Where have you been, man!" Michael Nakazawa laughed into the phone. Kenny couldn't remember ever being quite that carefree. 

"It's a long story." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. 

"I've got time." Nak replies smoothly, his tone questioning and concerned. Kenny grits his teeth.

"I haven't, and that's the problem. I need a favour. I know you don't owe me, but this is really serious shit."

"Woah, woah! I don't need to owe you to do something for you. We're friends." 

Why is he being so goddamn nice? Doesn't he know that's a mistake?

"Sorry." Kenny took a breath and relaxed. He tries to think like a normal person, just for a few moments. "I'm just so used to this Mafia bullshit." 

Nak spluttered, confused. Kenny smiled.

"Like I said, it's a long story. I'll tell it when I have time. Are you willing to break the rules for me? I know I'm asking you to stick your neck out, so I'm giving you an out."

Compassion. A part of him he wasn't used to showing. All the instincts he had built were screaming at him to put the mask back on. If being the Cleaner is a mask he takes off sometimes, it's only a matter of time before he forgets to put it back on again.

"I'm in. This is clearly serious." 

"Pull up Kota Ibushi's records. Send me everything, via email. Then erase the file. Get all traces of him out of the system."

"Kenny... what are you planning? You do know what you're asking me to do, right?" 

"I know this is the first place they'll look. You've gotta trust me, Nak. I really don't want to get involved with Rainmaker again, he hates my guts. I can't risk him screwing me, I'm working on borrowed time."

"Kenny, what is going on? Why were you ever in league with Rainmaker? He's the most feared man in Kyoto. He's a Murderer. What kind of danger are you in, do you need somewhere to go?"

Kenny closed his eyes, quietly. If only he knew Kenny had a body count well over 200, (Actually, since it's Nakazawa, he probably shouldn't phrase it that like that. Saying it that way would send them hurtling towards a misunderstanding,) for completely unaided kills alone. He's probably somewhat responsible for the deaths of thousands. It doesn't weigh even on him all that much. Not as much as it should. 

What does weigh on him is the fact that something as fragile as friendship, something he dismisses as foolish, may be the very thing that saves Kota's life.

"No time to explain. Just do the thing." Kenny said, frustrated and stressed

"Okay, okay. It's done."

"Thank you so much, I owe you. I'll send you some cash or something when I've got time. I have to go." 

He's paranoid. He can't be in anyone's debt, it's just too risky. He knows that looks can be so deceiving. He knows that time changes people, he knows that the most harmless person can become a threat under the right circumstances.

"Keep me updated. Don't get into a mess you can't get out of." Nakazawa warned, and Kenny laughed bitterly.

"Far too late for that." He hangs up. It had felt somewhat freeing, to be somewhat normal for the first time in so long. Even then, it wasn't all that normal. 

He has to work up to calling Kota's number. He takes some deep breaths, and Kota picks up after a few rings. Kenny waits for him to make the first move.

"Who is this?" Kota asks. His voice is like velvet brushing against bare skin, and shivers race down his spine. He hates it but he's desperate to feel it again. 

"That's not important." Kenny said, flatly, trying to stay calm even though his skin tingled with anticipation. "Meet me in at 4 tonight. I'll be waiting outside Harajuku station. Come alone. I'll know if you're wearing a wire."

"Is that a threat?" He challenged. Kenny can feel the warmth of the fire in his heart, burning bright and golden. Kota always was fearless, and he loved nothing more than to tempt fate.

"If you choose to perceive it as one." Kenny replied 

"Why do you want me there? What incentive do you have for me to even listen to you?"

"If you aren't, you'll be killed." He kept his voice clinical. He doesn't care about Kota. He's not in love. He's not.

So why is he going so far to save but a mere echo from his past..?

"So it is a threat."

"If you choose to perceive it as one." He reiterated. "If someone is following you, call me back with your location. I'll be seeing you soon... Kota Ibushi." He hangs up. His heart is racing, just hearing Ibushi's voice. 

He knows he has to frighten Kota to get him where he wants him. He knows the other man, knows exactly how his mind works, knows what to expect from him.

Well, what he used to be able to expect from him. They hadn't spoken for well over 2 years.

In truth, Kenny had never intended to become the Cleaner. It's too late to turn back, not with what, who, is at stake.

He hadn't meant for it to go this far. It was supposed to be an unofficial undercover mission. Off the books, a risk he had been willing to take. He had just wanted justice. Revenge. 

If that would make him some kind of martyr, so be it.

He remembered the fight that had ensued, he remembered walking out the door, he remembered what a colossal mistake it had been.

_"It's me or the case, Kenny."_

_"I can't leave business unfinished, I have to clean up the mess I've made."_

_"You never will. You need to let it go. Some things are out of your control! The sooner you accept that... the better off you will be."_

_"Then we're over." Kenny snapped. "If you aren't coming with me, I'm going it alone."_

_"Kenny, Wait!" Kota yelled, but Kenny had already fled into the rain. "I Love—"_

_Kenny ran and ran until his lungs were ready to give out. From that moment on he swore to himself, not only that he wouldn’t stop until he had won this war, he wouldn't let himself feel a thing until he had stopped every last one of them._

The first thing he'd had to do was earn the trust of his new associates. As a now-ex cop, they were ruthless to him. He'd been far more innocent then, and he had looked closer to 16 than 26. 

The events of the past 2 and a half years had aged him. He had the eyes of a man who was ready to see anything, because it couldn't be worse than anything he had already done himself.

To prove his worth, he had to look a man in the eye and shoot him dead, be able to ignore him pleading for his life. The thrill had hooked him in, and he had been addicted. It shouldn't have intrigued him so, he knew that. 

But he just couldn't help it. It was such a rush. A high unlike any he had ever felt in his life. 

Maybe he hadn't ever touched drugs, but he's sure that makes him a junkie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you guys are enjoying this! From here on out, I feel like some of my characterisation could be better, (especially during chapter 3&5) so please feel free to give me some advice! I’m always looking to improve. 
> 
> There will be another chapter up at the usual time! (Somewhere from 9-11 pm GMT) or maybe earlier


	4. Call me Hopeless, but not a Romantic

Kenny dials Nick, who had agreed to give him the number of his work phone, during the introductions at the beginning of his visit to the Bullet Club lair. Matt had agreed the same, but the younger's fear made him more receptive. It's better to form an alliance with him first. 

Nick is young. Impressionable. Prone to suggestion. Matt will take a little more work, but he's sure a bit of time will dull the animosity.

They're both married. It won't be hard to get sympathy out of them when it comes to the situation he's in. They're more human than the rest. Bullet Club isn't exactly full of saints, but these two... there was something about them that Kenny had respected.

He liked Matt's guts and his willingness to put himself in harms way for the benefit of his faction, and his brother. 

Nick's hesitance and uncertainty was charming, and he knows there's more to him than it seems. If he were as naive as he looked, he'd be face down in the gutter by now. 

Kenny sees allies, maybe even friends, in them both. He knows he can only protect Kota for so long, so he plans to sow the seeds of conflict at this very meeting.

He knows the conversation with Nakazawa has reminded him just how lonely he is. And maybe, just maybe, it's made him want to risk everything to find people he can feel normal around.

"Are you on for that meeting?" Kenny asked. His tone is still formal, but more cordial than before.

"As long as Matt can come." Nick says, in a way that shows he know he has no way of enforcing this demand, but that it will impact whatever deal he wants to make.

"Of course, I want to speak with you both. Do you boys drink?"

"No, neither of us-" he hears a scuffle, and the phone is snatched. 

"What do you want with my brother?!" Matt demanded, and Kenny laughed softly. So quick to assume. 

"I was just making arrangements. You have the   
location and time in your pocket, Nick saw me slip it to you. He's a clever one, not as naive as he looks."

"I'm not letting my little brother go near you alone-" 

"Of course not. Nick stated that just now, but the invitation was meant for you both. I'm on my way to the location now. It's on Takeshita street."

"The harajuku fashion street?"

"What, you think I'd drag you to some shady spot? Of course not, I'm not leading you anywhere to kill you or harm you. I'm talking broad daylight in a populated location. We'll look like just a group of friends on vacation."

"We aren't friends, we're not even acquaintances."

"I'm aware." 

"What's the purpose of this meeting? What do you gain from meeting us?"

"It's always good to have contacts and intel. I think it could be mutually beneficial. I've taken all the necessary precautions, The ball is in your court. Be there, or don't. I wouldn't blame you for not showing, but I know it's in your best interests." He hangs up.

Matt looks at Nick. "He's being reasonable. It's awfully suspicious."

"I agree. How he reacted to the photograph was odd. I mean, we've only heard legends, but we know he never takes the polaroids. Maybe he needs assistance with the mission?"

"Why would he come to us?"

"I don't know." Nick admitted. "We are affiliated with bullet club, and there are two of us. If he needs more than one other guy for the job, maybe he assumes it will cut down the risk of a betrayal between members messing up his plans."

"You keep surprising me, Nick." Matt mumbled.

"How so?"

"I just... I can't believe you're not just a little kid anymore. I feel like you understand this life better than I do, even though I'm the one who's been living it for 5 years."

"Well, I just say things how I see them." 

"We should get going. The meeting isn't long from now, and it's only a short walk."

-

"Matt," he sipped his soda. “I know you and I got off on the wrong foot-" Kenny started. 

"To put it fucking mildly."

He smiled. "Yeah, I know. But that was the Cleaner. This business, it's all about bravado and playing your part. Just like two actors on a stage, going through the motions that you both rehearsed."

"Alright, alright, enough of the poetry. What's your deal, man?"

"Sorry. I was slipping back into it again. It's, it's weird." 

Matt is a little startled, as a solemn, contemplative expression crosses Kenny's face. He's telling the truth.

"I've lived my life as this... character, for almost 3 years. Despite all my connections and contacts and success... I don't have a single friend. I don't have time for a wife or a boyfriend, and my lifestyle isn't exactly an ideal one. I'm just here to make some allies."

"It must be weird, not having anybody to come home to." Nick says, voice laden with sympathy. He's won over the little brother. Where one goes the other follows, so whatever happens, they're on board. He's already 2 for 2, but he would appreciate it if Matt liked him.

"I got used to it. Can't miss what you never had, right?" He smiles, but it's a little bit strained. 

Nick looked at him for a moment, studying his expression. "You're not telling the truth. You were before- but that last part was a lie."

"How on earth did you figure that out?" Kenny blinked, caught so off guard that he completely forgot to play it cool.

"The Polaroid. You never take the images of targets with you. Too incriminating. You said he had a family, but I don't think that's the case, and AJ called your bluff anyway, and proved that you don't normally care. You admitted to knowing the target in some capacity, professional or personal, well enough that you could identify him from a single glance, so what would you need the photograph? I'd say it was a sentimental act."

Kenny is beyond impressed. It's a swift and smooth deduction.

"And that's what I was looking for." He grins and Nick blinks, confused.

"What?" 

"I knew there was something about you. My first impression... wasn't exactly a great one, but I knew one thing, and that was that you had some kind of natural affinity for this stuff. I just wasn't quite sure what it was I saw. Where'd you learn that one?"

"I'm the youngest of four siblings. I know when someone thinks I’m stupid." Nick smiled, and Kenny chuckled in response.

"That'll do it."

"What's your end goal here, Omega?" Matt cuts in.

"Well, it actually follows on nicely from what Nick was saying. Ibushi, my current target... He was my partner, before I quit the force. We worked together for a couple years. We loved each other, even if I never had the balls to actually say it." He laughs sadly. 

"I'd protect that man with my life. You guys are both married, one of you has a kid. You know how it feels to love someone that way. To be willing to do anything for them." Kenny continued. 

Matt feels genuine sympathy for him, but he's none too happy that his wife and child were mentioned.

"Don't bring my family into this. Stop trying to butter me up, and cut to the chase." 

"He has a point, Matt." Nick was the voice of reason, which was odd, even to him. Matt's protective nature sometimes leads to spur-of-the-moment decisions, but normally Nick isn’t the one talking him down. "I don't mean to speak ill of our brothers, but they're far from the best of people."

"Fine. You're right." He sighed, feeling so hopeless in that moment. "Just get to your point." He folded his arms as he listened.

"I'm getting there. Normally I'd make a phonecall and the situation would be dealt with. I've bailed him out a few times. But this time, the problem lies at the top." He leant in, slightly.

"Can I trust you both?"

Nick nodded, and Matt followed suit. 

"AJ is... well. He's a cruel and terrible leader that plays his subordinates like life is a twisted game of chess. He's reckless, he makes too many sacrifices."

Kenny smiled.

"I didn't intend to ask so soon, but... how would you boys feel about a change of leadership around here?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So this is quite a big chapter, and it’s super important to the story. I did a little bit of research and I’m really hoping this is a good direction for the story. I really don’t want to have a disappointing reveal! 
> 
> Problem is, I’m really not satisfied with how it turned out. But, things do follow on rather nicely from here!
> 
> I do use Matt’s real last name in this chapter, because it would be a little too obvious to have Jackson as the last name, and the line between kayfabe and real life blurs a lot with the Bucks  
> I love you all, and I’d love if you could leave a comment :)
> 
> If you could suggest any changes or ideas for future stories, please let me know!

"Are you suggesting we stage a coup?" Matt says, eyebrows raising. 

"The mutiny of Devitt was my work, contrary to popular belief."

"Why are you getting involved? This isn't your business. It's dangerous to meddle in a mess that isn't yours." Matt says.

"Two reasons. One, Revenge. I love Kota more than anything, more than I value my own life. AJ started this war and I'm going to finish it. Kota deserves better than to be on the run because I couldn't clean up a mess that I made. That cause is worth dying for. All is fair in love and war, but that doesn't mean actions no longer have have equal and opposite reactions."

Matt and Nick look at each other. It seems so raw and genuine, as if Kenny himself were discovering these feelings for the first time. They can empathise, they would protect their own families until their dying breath.

"Second... AJ's eyes have strayed from your goal. The greed has consumed him. I think it's your duty to your brothers to take him out, but what would I know? I've not had an opportunity to truly share in the camaraderie, but it was so much better under Devitt's control."

He's hit a weak point. Matt's loyalty had already become a running theme. He actually feels kind of bad for exploiting it, but he has no other options. 

"I can't believe I'm saying this... but you're right. He has to go."

"Even if we did manage to kill AJ, the others would slaughter us. We need a plan."

"I'll come up with something. Remember, you can't tell anyone about this. I have to go, I have to meet Kota so I can get him out of the city. I'll call you if I need any assistance."

"So we're friends?"

"Of course. I just poured my heart out to you two and told you stuff that could get me killed."

"I'm just making sure." Matt gave an awkward smile

"Don't worry, I'm just making fun." Matt holds out a hand to shake and Kenny hugs them both, an arm around each of them.

"Feels good to trust again." He says, voice shaky. 

The brothers know that he's guilt tripping them, even if unintentionally. There's also a ring of truth to it. If they were worse people, they could easily blackmail him.

But they aren't. Honestly, Kenny seems like the most genuine guy they've met in this business. They want to help, and he has a point about AJ.

Kenny feels so exposed. He's betting everything on Matt and Nick being good people. He's breaking the oath he had made so long ago, to never make another meaningful connection until he had finally gotten justice for every person he hadn't been able to protect.

He thinks of her, first. 

She had been young, pretty much still a kid. But she'd had more fight that he'd ever seen in any other detective.

Riho was the strongest person he had ever met. 

He didn't have any of his family with him in Japan, and he had taken her under his wing. Riho had become his family, a little sister to him. He had taught her everything he could.

It hadn't been enough.

He knows that if it had been him, Riho would have been brave enough to pull the trigger. She wouldn't have hesitated, she would have been able to do the right thing. She wouldn't have been weak like he was.

If he was anything like her, she would still be here. He remembers it all, as plain as day. He had never killed anyone before, he had been never been confronted with a situation he couldn't resolve with words. 

He remembers how Riho had cried out his name, he remembers her blood on his hands. He remembered how he swore to her that he would catch them as he held her in his arms. He promised her that he wouldn't stop until they were all dead or in prison.

He didn't hear her last words over his own sobbing. Losing her was the day that he lost his way, the day that he lost himself.

He poured everything he had, everything he was, into the case. He neglected everything. Himself. His friends. The love of his life.

It was declared a cold case, but Kenny hadn't stopped. He had insisted on an undercover operation, but they weren't even considering it.

He insisted upon working the case independently. He planned his own investigation. Kota was supposed to come with him undercover. Technically it was all illegal, but Kenny didn’t care. But Kota knew that this obsession had driven Kenny half mad-

"Are you... crying..?" Nick asks. The words bring him back down to Earth.

"Umm.... no?" Kenny tries, wiping his eyes. Matt arches a brow.

Kenny laughs softly. "Okay, okay. I'm still tough. Three years is just catching up to me in a few minutes, cut me some slack." 

"Hey. We all go through it. Man, I thought you were such a dick when I met you. But now I get it, you were doing everything it took to survive."

"I was such a dick, too." Kenny admitted

"You had me being all heartfelt and everything." Matt teased, and Kenny laughed.

"I feel like I've known you guys for years."

"Well, AJ did say you're an ex cop. I am too, and we're only a year apart."

Kenny's eyes lit up, and he grinned. He knew there had been something familiar that he had spotted. 

"Detective Massie?"

"You remember?" 

"Man, I thought I killed all of my old squad, other than Ibushi."

"You're really cheapening this whole reunion thing."

"Sorry."

"No worries. Anyway, I thought it was an alias! Especially after I heard about that bust with Riho..."

Kenny glances down. "Yeah. That's what got me into this mess." he shook it off. "A story for another day though, alright? I have to meet with Kota."

"Take care of yourself, Omega. We'll do our best to keep AJ off your back. And we'll get some whispers going." Matt smiled. 

"Thank you. For everything."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really struggled with this chapter, but I think it turned out alright. It was really hard to pick a character Kenny was emotionally invested in that wasn’t Kota, or in the Elite. I feel as if Riho was the best choice.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think I did a good job with this chapter! I hope you enjoy :)

Kenny fidgeted. He was waiting outside Harajuku station, as agreed. His hands were in his pockets, and he had his hood up. His face was obscured as he loitered outside the building, scanning his surroundings for any sign of the man. 

He watches Kota cross the road, and he can feel his heart leap into his mouth at just the sight of him. He hasn't aged a day in the time they've been apart. He's still perfect, brown eyes glinting in the sunlight.

He hates how easily he falls apart around him. He hates how badly he wants to kiss him. 

His hand grips the pistol a little tighter, clearing away all his thoughts, letting himself put that mask back on, despite knowing it'll slip eventually. He just needs to hold the facade for a few hours. Just long enough to get him out of the city and safe. 

He was armed, of course. There's a high probability Kota is already being tailed. Bullet club wants him dead at the earliest possible moment, and he's looking for any recognisable faces. He can't see any he knows, and he's not sure if that's a good sign. He's killed well over half of the people he's scanning the crowd for, even if he can't remember which ones.

He knows how crucial it is to take out other mercenaries before they realise what's happening. If they notice anything odd, AJ will be alerted, and he'll come to deal with him directly. Kenny doesn't think he's quite skilled enough to beat a marksman like AJ.

His footsteps are light as he approaches Kota. He slowly withdraws the gun from his pocket, pressing it against Kota's back. Sparks caress his fingertips as they touch for the first time in so long. The other man lets out a little gasp of shock.

"Don't turn around." He warns, in a voice far lower than he's used to hearing from himself. It's not the first time he's held a man at gunpoint. It is the first time he has done it to save that man's life, though.

"You won't shoot me." Kota says, as defiant as ever. He speaks as if he is the one with the upper hand, even though he is so clearly at a disadvantage.

If the circumstances were different, he'd sigh longingly, admiring his bravery. Instead, he sets his jaw, and lowers his voice. Not quite a whisper, but he knows no-one else can hear them.

"You're not in a position to be calling my bluff, Ibushi. I might shoot you, I might not. But I know enough about you to take away everything you hold dear." His tone is dangerous, warning.

"What do you want?" Kota asks, and Kenny can hear the echo of fear in his voice. It shouldn't make him want to protect him. It shouldn't make him want to hold him tight until he drifts into a peaceful sleep. 

"That's not your business right now." He snaps, but Kota keeps pushing. God, if it were anyone but Kota he would just get it over with. But he can't, because he needs him alive. He needs him.

"Who are you?" He demands. 

Kenny's voice softens. "It's better if you never know why I'm doing what I'm doing." 

"Why are you so familiar..?" Kota keeps pressing. He never gives in. It's both admirable and frustrating, and Kenny wants to kiss that nervous look right off his face.

"Maybe you arrested me. Maybe we went to school together. Trust me, it's best if I never tell you." 

"Best for you?" He turns his head to glance over his shoulder, and Kenny keeps his face obscured. He doesn't want Kota to recognise him.

"For us both. Eyes forward." He warned, and Kota complies. Kota actually did as he said. That shouldn't worry him as much as it does. He clears his head, and speaks again.

"Have you been followed?"

He shook his head, and Kenny pressed the barrel into his back, the cold metal digging in. He knows he's playing with fire, and breaking every rule of gun safety ever, but he's out of options. He's almost certain there's already someone in range. 

Kota sighed and nodded. "Only when I got near the station."

"What did the guy look like?" Kenny grabbed his hand, desperately trying to ignore the sparks that he felt, and dragged him through the crowds, trying to gain some distance. 

"He was masked. I couldn't see his face." Kota admitted, jogging to keep up.

"You've no idea how little that narrows it down." Kenny drawled with an exasperated sigh, turning into the alleyway. He knew it was a dead end.

"Stay dead quiet, and out of sight." He breathed, a mere whisper, pressing a finger to his lips before he could argue. He tries to ignore how soft they are.

He hoped that whoever it was that was so clearly after Kota as he predicted wasn't too skilled. He has to be ready for more along the way. He has enough time before he's in the alley to pull on his gloves and pass Kota the gun. "Hold this."

Kenny has the element of surprise, and he uses it to its full potential. He got a clean knee strike in, smashing the man's nose. The crimson dribbles down his face and to the floor.

The masked adversary is considerably bigger than him, and lands a solid punch across the jaw, one that makes Kenny's head spin. The assassin been caught off guard, he clearly didn't expect a fight. 

Kenny wrestles the gun from his hands. He needed a clean headshot. More than one sound would alert the public. One gunshot was pushing it anyways.

He doesn't notice his glasses falling away during the struggle. He doesn't notice the abrupt cry of shock. All he's focusing on is hitting his target.

He puts him down like he was target practice. Clean and precise, and without a shred of regret. He pockets the ammunition left in the gun. Who knows whether he'll need it for his own later.

Kota stares at him in horror. Kenny hates to see that look on his face. He hates it even more, knowing that he was the one to put it there. As he glances away, he feels his curls fall into his face, and he freezes. 

His hood no longer covers his head. He sees the shattered lenses and warped frames of the sunglasses on the floor. He can feel the wind blowing his curls. He looks like something right out of a movie.

He knows his cover has been blown.

He looks down, for a while, before meeting Kota's cedar-brown eyes. He's still just as beautiful as ever. 

"Hi, Ibu-tan. It's been a while." He smiles weakly.


	7. Chapter 7

"Kenny..?" Kota is on the edge of tears, and Kenny would give his past, present, and future just for the chance to hold him tight and never let go. He wants to fix it all, he wants the pain to go away.

The worst part of it all is that he knows, he knows that he is the root of all this anguish. 

For the first time in 2 and a half years, he feels shame at his own selfishness.

"What have you done..? What happened to you?" Kota takes a shaky breath, the kind you take before you start hopelessly sobbing. 

Kenny's voice is gentle and solemn, as he places the gun down on the floor beside the body. Thanks to the gloves, he won't have left any prints. 

"A lot has happened, Kota. I'm... not the man you remember." He pauses.

_I'm not the man you used to love. ___

__"You just killed somebody." Kota says, as if they're the only words he can remember._ _

__"I killed somebody, the sky is blue, you hate my guts, any other obvious facts you wanna tell me about?" Kenny snapped, regretting it immediately._ _

__"You just killed somebody." He repeated, growing increasingly frantic. Tears are pouring down his face and Kenny wants to kiss them away and make him feel better._ _

__His voice is confused, conflicted, as if he doesn't even know what he's seeing. Kenny can't blame him for that much._ _

__Instead, he looks down and shrugs. The concept of killing hadn't meant anything in a long time. "You get over the icky feeling after a while."_ _

__"Who are you..?" He said._ _

__It was clearly metaphorical, but he can feel two words that aren't his name on the tip of his tongue. He bites them back. Kota can never know. Kota would hate him, hate him more than anything if he knew what he had done. He would hate him more than he already does._ _

__"Nothing I said was a lie."_ _

__"You threatened to kill me if I didn't show up!" Kota retorted_ _

__"No, I said you would be killed. There's a difference."_ _

__"I don't care about semantics, you just murdered somebody."_ _

__"It's not the first time, just keep up. We can freak out later, but right now, there's a lot of powerful people who want you dead, Kota."_ _

__"And how would you know that?"_ _

__Kenny closed his eyes. "Trust me, it's better if I never tell you that. You should stay as far away from this as possible."_ _

__"What on earth happened to you..?" Kota whispered, reaching out to touch the forming bruise on his face. He knows it’s not referring to that, he watched him get hit. He knows it’s a broader question._ _

__"A story for the train. We need to get out of Tokyo. I have a place in Osaka, we can head that way before another one spots us. Don't contact anyone, alright?"_ _

__"I don't have anybody to contact."_ _

__Kenny looked at him. "But- that woman-"_ _

__Kota's head turned sharply to look at him. "You've been stalking me?"_ _

__"I prefer to call it checking up on you. None of the negative connotations. You're lucky I did, this isn't the first hit that's been put out on you."_ _

__"Then why did you kidnap me this time?"_ _

__"Hey, not kidnapping. I'm saving your life."_ _

__Kota sighed. "Either way, if you must know, that woman ditched me. Something about me, and needing to let go of the past."_ _

__The unspoken 'I'm still in love with you' hangs in the air. They've always expressed their feelings in cryptic ways. From Kota, it's always those complicated words that always have a second meaning. From Kenny, it's always those confusing touches that linger just a little bit too long._ _

__As always, they're two sides of the same coin. As stark a contrast as night and day, yet just as connected. Like light and dark, you can't have one without the other. An angel in white and a demon in black. Fate brings them back together again and again in a harmonic cycle, and they repeat this delicate and confusing dance around each other, over and over._ _

__Reaching out, but not touching, fingertips just centimetres apart._ _

__“I never did let go of the past.” Kota said, quietly.  
Kenny looks down, writing his own poetry in his mind. _ _

__"I wish I hadn't let go of mine." He slowly lifts his eyes to meet Kota's, voice breaking a little at the end of his sentence. Oh, Kota's eyes... they're just beautiful as he remembered, and instead of finding the disgust he'd expected, he finds nothing but the sweetest devotion._ _

__Maybe, if this was a movie, he would kiss him. But it's not, and he knows they've a long way to go before they get to that point._ _

__They get a train, and sit together. Next to each other, the backs of their hands touching. They each want to intertwine their hands, but neither of them can find the nerve._ _

__Kota is still in shock, face ashen. It's worrying Kenny greatly._ _

__"Tell me everything." Kota breathes, even though he doesn't want to know._ _

__"Well... right now, the leader of bullet club wants you dead. He hired the Cleaner to kill yo-"_ _

__"The Cleaner?" Kota cut in, voice hoarse and hushed. "He's not a myth? You know who he is?"_ _

__He laughs bitterly, the disdain in his voice obvious. "Yeah, he's real. And he's a piece of shit, too."_ _

__"Who is it? Do you have a name?" Kota's eyes were wide, and Kenny has run out of lies to tell. He's left with no choice._ _

__"His name? Well... yes, actually." he looks away for a moment. Collecting his thoughts, praying to a a god he doesn't even believe in._ _

__"His name is Kenny Omega."_ _


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! Early chapter!
> 
> So, this is the Book 1 Finale! But don’t worry, I am working tirelessly on book 2! I also have an outline for a much shorter book 3. I know that a lot is yet to happen, and this will be an irritating cliffhanger, and the fic reader in me apologises!
> 
> I’ll get to naming the unnamed chapters later

"His name is Kenny Omega."

A few moments of uncomfortable silence pass.  
Kota's staring into his eyes, searching and praying for some indication of a lie. There's no smile, no playful 'got you!', no chuckle. Kenny tears his eyes away from him, unable to hold his gaze any longer, and it's in that moment he's certain it's true.

"No...." he whispers. He doesn't want it to be true. He knows what the Cleaner has done to people. He knows how many he has tortured, maimed and slaughtered. He's seen the bodies, and that alone had almost caused him to quit. 

He can feel his heart racing, he can feel the tears gathering in his eyes. He feels like he could have prevented this. Maybe if he had pleaded with Kenny to see a therapist, to get some help, he could have prevented all this. Maybe if he hadn't been injured that day, Riho would have been okay, and this wouldn't have happened.

"I'm so sorry. I should have been there for you after you lost her."

Kenny's chest tightened painfully. He could feel the tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. 

Kota had been there for him. He had been there through the sleepless nights, he had begged him to stop this madness, he had pleaded with him, he had tried everything.

He grabs Kota's wrists, his tone desperate. "It's not your fault, don't you dare blame yourself."

Kota wants to be disgusted. He wants to hate Kenny, wants to tell him he's a monster. He wants to hate him. 

But he looks so broken. So lost. 

His blue eyes are dull, and he looks like a reflection in a shattered mirror. Warped and contorted and manipulated and broken.

Kota wants to fix him, he wants to take away his pain, make him whole again. He'll put the fragile mirror that is his lover back together, even if his fingers bleed as he picks up the pieces.

"This is no one's fault but my own." Kenny insists. "I know how awful this is, but... I like the way I am. It feels good. Right. The only thing that's missing is you."

Kenny wants Kota to be disgusted, to scream that he's a monster and deserves to suffer for the things he has done. The crimes he had committed like they were nothing, every individual one of them, they're all absolutely unforgivable.

He's tortured and maimed and killed hundreds. He had found pleasure in it. He's disgusting and broken and he's falling apart. He knows it, but how could it be so terrible when it felt right?

He desperately searches for disgust on Kota's face. Hate, disdain, venom or revulsion. But he finds none. Somehow that's the most painful part of it all.

He doesn't recoil away from Kenny. He doesn't yell. He's not disgusted.

Kota just... cries.

He's never done that before. Kenny didn't even know he could cry. 

The emotional circuit-breaker has finally tripped, and he feels so helpless that he just buries his face into Kenny's shoulder. In mere moments, Kenny's shoulder is drenched, and Kota is sobbing his heart out. 

"It started so innocently, Kota." He whispered, like it was comforting. It was far from it, it made him feel worse, to know that Kenny was but a shell of himself. 

And yet, he still adored him with every cell in his body.

Maybe he was the one that was lost after all.

Kenny keeps talking, and every word is like a knife in his back. "I just wanted justice for Riho. I was going to take them all down from the inside, like I promised. But... they got in my head. I was so desperate to succeed in my mission, that I ended up becoming one of them."

Kota let out a helpless whimper. He wasn't sure what to do, but he knew that no matter what, he would give everything to Kenny. He would save him or die trying, he swore it.

"I was good at it, too. I had nothing to lose and nothing to gain. Nothing but the thrill. It felt so good that I couldn't stop. But... I don't feel sorry. I'm only sorry that you almost got hurt."

"Stop, stop!" He whispered. His voice is broken and scarred. He can't take it anymore, his world is spinning. He's clinging onto Kenny like he'll fade away. "I don't want to hear any more."

Kenny wraps an arm around him, keeping him close. He feels Kota relax slightly. He's so beautiful, still just as pretty as always. He wonders where this path will take them. He's eager and curious to know.

"I can pretend, if it makes you happy. Anything for you."

Kota breathed a few soft words. "Kenny... there's nothing you could become, that I haven't already fallen in love with."


End file.
